That said, the pasture now provides feed for three distinct elk populations, not as numerous in these last few years as they once were. I personally counted 108 on one occasion, and a neighbor swears he saw at least 120. Hawks and Turkey Vultures fly overhead, searching out mice and moles, and deer occasionally browse apart from their larger cervine cousins. As habitat goes, the open field has much to offer, moreso since a stream runs against the base of the hills on the far side. Thistles bloom abundantly here, unmanaged by county weed control, and although they're considered a nuisance, their pale lavender heads are spectacular en masse. This evening, a rainbow arched above the open land, quietly painting a brush stroke of ephemeral and transient beauty across cloud and land alike. Perhaps I don't miss that old ramshackle barn as much as I thought I did.
365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Monday, January 30, 2012
The Pasture
That said, the pasture now provides feed for three distinct elk populations, not as numerous in these last few years as they once were. I personally counted 108 on one occasion, and a neighbor swears he saw at least 120. Hawks and Turkey Vultures fly overhead, searching out mice and moles, and deer occasionally browse apart from their larger cervine cousins. As habitat goes, the open field has much to offer, moreso since a stream runs against the base of the hills on the far side. Thistles bloom abundantly here, unmanaged by county weed control, and although they're considered a nuisance, their pale lavender heads are spectacular en masse. This evening, a rainbow arched above the open land, quietly painting a brush stroke of ephemeral and transient beauty across cloud and land alike. Perhaps I don't miss that old ramshackle barn as much as I thought I did.
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